Ishmael Beah, left, and Zukile Jama participate in a seminar at Korea University in Seoul, March 31. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
Two prominent African writers engaged Korea University students in Seoul in a discussion on Afropolitanism and Black consciousness, offering global perspectives through a “glocal” lens. The seminar, held on March 31 and co-hosted by the Network for Glocal Activism and the Institute of African Cultural Studies in Korea, featured renowned author Ishmael Beah of Sierra Leone and South African linguist and researcher Zukile Jama.
For Beah, a memoirist and human rights advocate, writing is a way to reclaim ownership over African narratives.
“For many years, our stories have been told by other people,” he told The Korea Times. “Even when well-intentioned, they often miss the context. And without the right context, people form stereotypes and incomplete conclusions.”
Beah is best known for his 2007 memoir, "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier," in which he recounts his experiences as a child soldier during the Sierra Leone Civil War in the 1990s. The book gained international recognition for its powerful and personal portrayal of war, trauma and recovery. His work has reached audiences far beyond Africa, and two of his books have been translated into Korean. He also participated in the DMZ World Literature Festa earlier in the week as part of his activities during his first visit to Korea.
He reflected on a common misconception that people fleeing war-torn countries leave simply to seek better lives elsewhere, a narrative he believes is overrated.
“Nobody wants to leave home if it’s functioning," he said in the interview. "You leave because you can no longer live there.”
This perspective highlights a deeper issue, the global misunderstanding of African realities, but sheds a positive light on Afropolitanism on a global stage.
In his presentation at the forum, he explained that Afropolitanism is a form of identity that embraces both African roots and global belonging. It challenges older stereotypes that portrayed Africa as isolated or culturally static. Instead, it narrates the continent’s long history of exchange, migration and intellectual engagement with the wider world. Afropolitanism suggests that African identity is not confined by geography but can exist across diasporic networks, stretching from Accra and Lagos to London and New York City.
He told the audience that the concept of Afropolitanism encourages a rethinking of how Africa itself is imagined. “For much of the 20th century, Africa was often portrayed in global media through narratives of crisis — war, poverty and political instability. Afropolitanism challenges this narrow portrayal by emphasizing creativity, intellectual life and cultural dynamism across the continent and its diaspora,” he said.
Source: Korea Times News
